Albion Air Hero Home for Visit with Kin

 

Albion A war hero has come home on a 30-day leave following the completion of almost 100 missions in the European Theater of Operations and the shooting down of two Nazis planes. He is Capt. Eugene K. Barnum Jr.27, who is enjoying his stay in the States with his parents, Mr. and Mr. Eugene Barnum Sr. on their 100-acre Ridge Road farm. He had been overseas with the Army Air Force in England for the past 17 months. Captain Barnum, a pilot of a Thunderbolt fighter plane named Pistol Packin Mama, is the holder of the Air Medal, three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross and another Oak lcaf Cluster to the Cross. Captain Barnum stated that he shot down his first Nazi plane on Nov. 5, at which time his outfit had brought down a total of seven planes. Luck was with him, and a month later he added an other enemy plane to his score and also his latest Oak Leaf Cluster. A close friend of Capt. Robert S. Johnson, having been stationed with him in the States and then again overseas. Captain Barnum said he saw Captain Johnson shoot down his 26th and 27th planes, making, him unofficially the first U. S. pilot in Europe to top the record of Capt. Edward Ricken-backer's 26 aircraft shot down during World War I. When he was asked whether he ever had been wounded. Captain Barnum smiled and said that although he had about five close calls the only scar he had was on his arm and that he received with a razor. His plans for the short stay include helping on the 100-acre farm which his father owns and operates alone and visiting First Lt. Gordon J. Blake of Wyoming, who returned with him from overseas. Captain Barnum expects to return to England at the completion of his leave. Promoted to his present rank in April, he said he received word of the promotion after he had returned from one of his 90-odd missions. During his 17-month stay overseas Captain Barnum said he met only two boys he knew back in Orleans County, Charles Vick with the Service Command and George Stevens In the Air Forces. Before be'ng sent overseas, Captain Barnum spent a few hours leave with his family on Christmas Day 1942. He Is a graduate of Albion High School with the Class of 1936 and he holds a degree in agriculture from Cornell University. In the service since Sept. 28, 1941 he received his wings as an Air Cadet at Ellington Field. Tex. His only brother, Second Lt. William Barnum, arrived in England the latter part of May about the time Captain Barnum left for the States. They have two sisters, Janice, a student at the Albion High School, and Elda at Cornell University.